Classic Memorial Auditorium Concert Tickets — It Cost WHAT to See WHO?!

In 1986, I told my mom that I was sleeping over my friend Jay’s house so I could wait out all night to buy tickets to Van Halen’s show at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. It was the first tour with new lead singer Sammy Hagar, and we were all jammin’ “Why Can’t This Be Love” in our boom boxes on a daily basis. I made $80 a week working at Burger King, so shelling out $25 to see Van Halen was kind of a big deal. I ended up getting 17th row. That same ticket today would have cost me about $250.

After seeing that The Who was honoring tickets from their canceled 1979 show in Rhode Island, I noted that highest price for a ticket to that concert was just $14 back then; today, the same ticket would cost $127. Are you really willing to dole out all that cabbage to see your favorite artists? Christ!

And what if you have kids? Tickets to tonight’s Disney-fest at Darien Lake to see Big Time Rush are over $50! Sorry, but I’d rather see ‘actual’ Rush — and you won’t believe what I paid for that concert in 1985.

Now we all know that concert ticket prices are out of control and have been since people started downloading music for free, and that concert promoters have dwindled to just a few majors, but take a look at what we paid for tickets back in the day. I asked some of my friends to send me pictures of some classic concerts they attended, and some pictures even have prices.

What shows did you attend at Rich Stadium and Memorial Auditorium, and how much did it cost? What’s the most you would pay to see your favorite artist now? Would love to see your comments below in the Facebook section.

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